Temple coach Geoff Collins has met with Georgia Tech officials about the Yellow Jackets' vacant head-coaching position, a person with knowledge of the meetings told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Georgia Tech was not releasing information about its search to replace Paul Johnson, who is stepping down after 11 seasons as coach of the Yellow Jackets. Johnson will coach Georgia Tech against Minnesota in the Quick Lane Bowl on Dec. 26 in Detroit.

The person said Collins met with Georgia Tech athletic director Todd Stansbury in New York earlier this week and with the university president in Atlanta on Thursday morning.

The person said Collins left Atlanta having not been offered the job by Georgia Tech.

Yahoo! Sports first reported Collins, a Georgia native, had emerged as the leading candidate at Georgia Tech.

Collins is 15-10 in two seasons at Temple, including an 8-4 record with a 7-1 mark in the American Athletic Conference this season. He took over for his close friend Matt Rhule last year, when Rhule left for Baylor.

Before coming to Temple, Collins was a well-regarded defensive coordinator at Florida (2015-16) and Mississippi State (2011-14). Collins grew up in Conyers, Georgia, 24 miles east of Atlanta, and was a graduate assistant there early in his career under head coach George O'Leary. He also spent a season as director of player personal at Alabama in 2007, Nick Saban's first leading the Crimson Tide.

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